Just like the title says, this tree isn’t a special variety or cultivar, it’s just a plain Ficus microcarpa, what them old timers called “retusa” (click here for a clarification of the mistake make too many years ago as to why they called it that. I can’t explain why some still call it that except for stubborn intransigence to change).
We know it’s a regular F. Microcarpa by the leaf, notice the white dots on the margin:
That’s a tell tale sign that’s not very evident on many other F. microcarpa varieties. Some other characteristics are marked dieback to the next node, larger internodes, grey bark.
Let’s defoliate it so we can see the structure before wiring.
Here’s dieback btw:
The regular species is a little more difficult to ramify than the cultivars like tiger bark, but the trunk and roots tend to grow faster, so you’ll often see a…
View original post 1,368 more words
Wolf's Birding and Bonsai Blog 